Golf Shots: Defining a Blocked Drive

← Golf Instruction & Improvement | Common Faults & Fixes

BLOCKQUOTE_0

Quick Answer

• A blocked drive in golf is a shot that curves significantly to the right for a right-handed golfer (or left for a left-handed golfer).
• This shot typically results from an open clubface at impact and/or an out-to-in swing path.
• It’s a common error that leads to a loss of distance and accuracy, often finding the right side of the fairway or rough.

Who This Is For

• Golfers struggling with drives that consistently veer off course to the right (or left for lefties).
• Players looking to understand the mechanics behind a common golf shot error and how to fix it.

What is a Blocked Drive in Golf: What to Check First

Alright, let’s get down to brass tacks. If your drives are going sideways more often than not, you’re likely battling the dreaded “block.” Here’s what you need to look at first to diagnose the problem:

• Clubface Angle at Impact: This is huge. At the moment your club hits the ball, is the clubface pointed way off to the right of your target? For a right-handed golfer, an open face is a primary culprit for a blocked drive. It’s like trying to hit a baseball with the bat twisted open.
• Swing Path: Think about the direction the clubhead is traveling through the impact zone. For a block, you’re usually swinging from outside the target line to inside. Imagine cutting across the ball instead of swinging through it. This out-to-in motion, combined with an open face, sends it right.
• Grip: How you hold the club matters a ton. A weak grip, where your hands are rotated too far counter-clockwise (for righties), makes it way harder to get the clubface square at impact. Your V’s (formed by your thumb and index finger) might point towards your right shoulder. This can lead to that open face we just talked about.
• Alignment: Where are you aiming? Sometimes, golfers unconsciously aim their body and clubface significantly left of the target, trying to “aim away” from a perceived slice. This setup can actually encourage an out-to-in swing path and lead to a block. It’s a bit of a paradox, but it happens.

Your grip is a crucial element in controlling the clubface. If you’re struggling with blocks, consider checking your golf club grip to ensure it’s not too weak, which can make squaring the face difficult.

No products found.

Fixing Your Blocked Drive: A Step-by-Step Plan

So, you’ve identified the likely suspects. Now, let’s get to work. Fixing a blocked drive isn’t usually about one magic bullet; it’s about making smart adjustments. Here’s a plan to get you swinging straighter.

1. Action: Assess and Adjust Your Grip.

• What to look for: Take your normal grip. Now, check if your hands are too far counter-clockwise (for righties). You want the V’s formed by your thumb and index finger on both hands to point roughly towards your right shoulder. If they’re pointing more towards your chin, that’s a weak grip, a common cause of an open clubface.
• Mistake to avoid: Don’t just crank your hands into a super strong position overnight. That can lead to hooks. Make small, gradual adjustments. Try rotating your hands just a touch clockwise for righties until you feel you can square the face more naturally.

2. Action: Check Your Alignment and Setup.

• What to look for: Stand up and get into your golf posture. Now, look at where your feet and shoulders are pointing relative to your target. If you’re aiming significantly left of the target, that’s a red flag. You might be trying to compensate for a perceived slice, but it’s setting you up for a block.
• Mistake to avoid: Overcorrecting by aiming way, way right. This doesn’t fix the swing path or clubface issue; it just leads to a push (a shot that goes straight right) or an even wilder block. Aim to be square to your actual target.

3. Action: Analyze and Feel Your Swing Path.

• What to look for: Pay attention to the feeling of your downswing. Are you swinging “over the top,” coming from outside the target line and cutting across the ball? You might feel tension in your shoulders or arms trying to force the club down. Try to feel like the club is swinging more under your arms and towards the inside of the ball.
• Mistake to avoid: Trying to force an “in-to-out” swing path without addressing the root cause. If your grip and body mechanics are wrong, just swinging harder from the inside won’t work and can lead to frustration.

4. Action: Focus on Clubface Control Through Impact.

• What to look for: At impact, the clubface needs to be square to your target line. This doesn’t mean you have to “manually” close it with your hands. It’s about letting the momentum of the swing and the natural rotation of your body square the face. Feel like you’re releasing the clubhead through the ball.
• Mistake to avoid: Trying to “slap” or “flip” the clubface shut with your wrists. This is a violent, unnatural move that often results in a pull hook (starts left and curves left), which is a different but equally undesirable shot.

5. Action: Practice with Drills for Swing Path.

• What to look for: Grab an alignment stick or even a spare club. Lay it on the ground pointing towards your target, about a foot in front of the ball. Practice swinging your clubhead along that line, feeling like you’re swinging through the ball towards the target, not across it. You can also place a headcover or a small towel on the ground about a foot outside the ball on your target line. Try to swing inside that object.
• Mistake to avoid: Getting discouraged if you don’t see results immediately. Golf is a game of inches and requires repetition. Stick with it.

To improve your swing path, consider using golf training aids. Drills with alignment sticks or other practice tools can help you feel the correct motion and swing through the ball towards your target.

No products found.

6. Action: Work on Releasing the Club.

• What to look for: After impact, your hands and wrists should naturally rotate through the shot. Feel like your left wrist (for righties) is turning inwards and your right wrist is cupping slightly as you finish your swing. This “release” helps square the clubface.
• Mistake to avoid: Holding the face open through impact. This is often a result of trying to steer the ball or keep the clubface aimed at the target too long. Let the club do the work.

7. Action: Incorporate Body Rotation.

• What to look for: Your body should be rotating through the shot, not just your arms. Feel your chest turning towards the target after impact. This rotation helps drive the clubhead through the ball and naturally square the face.
• Mistake to avoid: Getting stuck with your body facing away from the target at impact. This leads to an armsy swing and often an open clubface.

Understanding Blocked Drives in Golf: Common Mistakes to Avoid

When you’re trying to fix a blocked drive, it’s easy to fall into some common traps. Knowing these can save you a lot of frustration and wasted shots.

• Mistake: Over-rotating your hands to close the clubface.
• Why it matters: Trying too hard to “snap” the clubface shut can cause it to close too much, too soon. This turns a block into a pull hook, where the ball starts left and curves even harder left. Not what we’re after.
• Fix: Focus on allowing your body’s rotation to square the clubface naturally through impact, rather than relying on a quick wrist flick.

• Mistake: Aiming excessively far to the right to compensate.
• Why it matters: This is like trying to fix a leaky faucet by turning off the main water supply. You’re not addressing the root cause. You’ll likely end up with a push (straight right) or an even more severe block that ends up in the trees.
• Fix: Ensure your body and clubface are aligned square to your intended target. The goal is a straight shot, not a shot that’s just “less right.”

• Mistake: Trying to “cut” across the ball with your swing.
• Why it matters: This motion is the very definition of an out-to-in swing path, which is a primary cause of a blocked drive. It reinforces the bad habit you’re trying to break.
• Fix: Concentrate on swinging through the ball towards your target. Feel like you’re pushing the clubhead out towards the target line, not across it.

• Mistake: Gripping the club too weakly without a clear understanding.
• Why it matters: While a weak grip can contribute to a block, just gripping “stronger” without knowing why can lead to other problems, like hooks. It’s about finding the right grip that allows for a natural release.
• Fix: Aim for a neutral or slightly strong grip. The V’s on your hands should point more towards your trail shoulder. This provides a better foundation for squaring the clubface.

• Mistake: Trying to manipulate the clubface with your hands during the swing.
• Why it matters: Golf swings are dynamic. Trying to force the clubface open or closed at specific moments often leads to inconsistency and tension.
• Fix: Trust the momentum of the swing and your body’s rotation to square the clubface. Focus on the feeling of the clubhead releasing through the ball.

• Mistake: Ignoring your setup and posture.
• Why it matters: A poor setup—like being too hunched over or standing too far away from the ball—can directly lead to an out-to-in swing path and an open clubface.
• Fix: Ensure you have a balanced stance, with your weight distributed evenly, and that you’re addressing the ball with a slight knee flex and a straight spine.

FAQ: Your Questions About Blocked Drives Answered

Let’s clear up some common confusion about this tricky shot.

• What causes a blocked drive in golf?

A blocked drive is typically caused by an open clubface at impact combined with an out-to-in swing path. This means the clubface is pointing right of the target at impact, and the club is swinging from outside the target line to inside. It’s a one-two punch that sends the ball veering off to the right (for a right-handed golfer).

• How is a blocked drive different from a slice?

Both a block and a slice curve from left to right for a right-handed golfer. The key difference is often the swing path and how the ball starts. A slice usually results from an open clubface and an in-to-out swing path, causing the ball to start right and curve further right. A block, on the other hand, is more often an open clubface with an out-to-in swing path. The ball might start straighter or slightly left and then curve sharply right. Think of a slice as starting right and going further right, and a block as starting straighter or slightly left and then making a hard right turn.

• Can a weak grip cause a blocked drive?

Yes, absolutely. A weak grip, where your hands are rotated too far counter-clockwise (for righties), makes it significantly harder to square the clubface naturally at impact. This often leaves the face open, which is a primary ingredient for a blocked drive. It’s one of the first things I check when someone tells me they’re blocking it.

• Does aiming left help fix a block?

This is a tricky one. Sometimes, golfers aim left unconsciously because they’ve been fighting a slice. However, if you intentionally aim far left to try and “aim away” from a block, you can actually set yourself up for a worse block or a push. You’re essentially encouraging an out-to-in swing. It’s far more effective to fix the swing path and clubface issue at its source rather than trying to aim around it.

• How much should I adjust my grip if it’s too weak?

Small adjustments are best. For a right-handed golfer, try rotating your hands just slightly clockwise on the club. You’re looking for a “neutral” or slightly “stronger” grip where the V’s formed by your thumb and index finger on both hands point more towards your right shoulder. Don’t go too far, or you might start pulling or hooking the ball. It’s a feel thing, so experiment on the range.

• What’s the most common mistake golfers make when trying to fix a block?

The most common mistake is trying to force the clubface closed with their hands. This often leads to a jerky, uncontrolled movement that can result in a pull hook. It’s better to focus on a smooth, full swing that allows the club to release naturally. Another big one is aiming way right, which just masks the problem.

• How long does it usually take to fix a blocked drive?

That depends on the golfer, how ingrained the habit is, and how consistent they are with practice. For some, a few key adjustments might make a difference in a single session. For others, it can take weeks or even months of dedicated practice to retrain the swing path and feel. Be patient, focus on the process, and celebrate the small victories.